Date: 9/1/25 10:02 am From: Maureen Lahiff via groups.io <MLahiff...> Subject: [EBB-Sightings] Baird's Sandpiper I reported at Elsie Roemer Aug 30 and 21
I led field trips for Golden Gate Bird Alliance on Saturday and Sunday morning to Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary in Alameda last Saturday and Sunday mornings. We got short looks at what I now think is the buffiest and brownest juvenile Sanderling I have ever seen, which we first identifed as a Baird's Sandpiper.
I've seen lots of early-arriving fall migration Sanderlings in the East Bay, but I have not seen only a few Baird's Sandpipers, and not for a few years.
Science is a process, and at its best, a community one. Science listens and continues to learn, and science is not afraid to change her mind.
In conversation with other experienced birders who came on Sunday, I'm going to edit and reshare my checklists with the GGBA trip participants. (The multiple sightings of this bird are from the group;s shared checklists.) I'll add details under Sanderlng, just as I did for the juvenile Black-bellied Plover that we were hoping was a Pacific Golden-plover (Details on Saturday's checklist.)
Some photos to look at online to illustrate the challenge.
From a google search with the keywords fall juvenile baird's sandpiper vs sanderling images, I discovered helpful photos atfetchingbirds by Phillip Augusta. Search for fetchingbirds baird's sandpiper These are East Coast photos, but helpful, especially the last one.
On eBird.org, under Explore, choose Search photos and sounds (on the left-hand side of the page), Baird's Sandpiper. Then set the Date range of months to Aug Sept for the last 20 years. Under Filters, add Sanderling in the Additional species box (toward the right-hand side of the page) and be sure to hit the Done button at the bottom of the Filters page.
Helpful photos at Ocean Beach this year on Aug 16 by Rishab Ghosh and on Aug 17 Erica Rutherford & John Colbert that they report as Baird's.
Maureen LahiffOakland
